A Mundane Life
by AbyssOfMemories
Summary: The world relied on Robin until the very end. He lived for his friends and family, saved millions from conquest and terror...But what if he hadn't? Chrom never finds his lifelong partner in that grassy plain, but a young merchant girl does.
1. Prologue: Lost and Found

**Prologue: Lost and Found**

As the blade of thunder struck through him, the young prince saw the desperation and pain in his partner's eyes and knew this was no betrayal. As he stumbled back, he gave him his best smile.

"This is not..your.." He coughed, blood splattering against the ground. The cloaked man, no longer under the spell, let tears spill as his best friend slowly fell. From the floor, he spoke his final words.

"...your..fault.."

* * *

_What if you lived a life where you didn't have to experience this pain? _

_One without the lives of thousands in your hands?_

_One without the eyes of millions staring you down?_

_A life..without **him?**_

* * *

There was light. He was sure of it. A light that threatened to blind him once he opened his eyes. He wished to keep them shut. To stay in the everlasting darkness. Despite his efforts, the strain was too much and his eyes fluttered open.

The sun shined in his direction, causing him to wince at the rays it shot. From the corners of his eyes, he could see grass and plains surrounding him. This was no place he had known.

"...Where am I?"

"I wanna know the same thing." A voice from nearby said in a very deadpan tone. "Let me know if you figure it out."

The young man turned his head to the sound of the voice to see a woman sitting right beside him, her legs crossed and her bags set to the side of her. She too, looked to the sky, as if searching for answers.

The man almost shot up in surprise, but he felt that his body seemed to lack the energy. He could only muster enough to speak.

"Who are you?" He asked, predictably it seemed, as she chuckled to herself after hearing it. She turned to him, her legs still crossed and her body shifting to the side of his own. He could see her face a bit more clearly now, the sun's rays making her features shine. She was a young girl with light skin and hair as red as roses. It had been wrapped into a very tight and short ponytail, which had only extended to about her neck. Her clothes were that of a small green dress with a coat over it that seemed to be bigger than her overall. She gave him a wink and a charming smile as she gave her introduction.

"My name's Anna, the amazing world-renowned merchant girl!" Her expression then became a bit more relaxed. "At least, that's what I want to be. But it's my first time out in the field, and I haven't sold a single thing.." She tossed herself onto the ground, the grass around her lightly jumping into the air before falling down. A few reached the man's face, provoking a sneeze from the male.

"Hehe...Sorry about that." She giggled. "Now, what's a charming young male like you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same." He tried to sit up again and this time, he had the strength to push himself off of the grass. Their positions had reversed. "I don't remember how I ended up here. I'm just as confused as you are."

"So what, you've got amnesia or something?" She said smiling, as if it was a joke. But when she put it like that, the young man couldn't help but think about it. That clearly seemed to be his problem..

"Waitwaitwait you don't actually have amnesia, do you?" She stammered out, and he thought he caught a bit of a worried or apologetic tone in her voice. He nodded, as he really couldn't remember anything, and she shot up instantly.

"Poor thing...One of my sisters had this once. It came back to her eventually, but she said the process was painful. Regaining the memories, I mean." She was silent for only but a moment before snapping her fingers and quickly rushing through her bag nearby.

"I think I've got something that can help...I know they said not to give away or use any of our merchandise, but this is important..Aha!" She pulled out a staff, one of very regal design. Its orb glowed very faintly in her hands.

"I'm not the best at magic, but my sisters taught me a thing or two just in case I ever got badly injured." She twirled the staff with ease, almost like a baton. "Maybe this one will help. It's said to heal any injury, no matter how deep. It's one of the best we've got, so consider yourself lucky!" She held it in both of her hands and shut her eyes. "Now, just stay calm and focus on me. If you feel anything, a pulse or a sting or an absolutely unrivaled pain, that means it's working!"

That last suggestion didn't exactly put the amnesiac at ease, but he did as she asked. He could hear the resonating sound of the staff as it worked its magic. He thought of nothing but the girl before him and soon felt a soothing sensation. It was positively cathartic and he felt he close to a breakthrough, but a stunning pain rang through his mind and shattered the concentration he'd built up.

""Ahh!"" Anna and her patient both screamed as the magic forcibly stopped. The orb of the staff had completely shattered. Anna looked absolutely shocked and in that same moment, looked at the man with extreme anger.

"That was an extremely rare item! How am I going to explain to my sisters that its gone and I've got nothing to show for it?!" She pointed the tip of her finger up to his nose and he jumped back just a bit in surprise. "You...I knew I shouldn't have worried about you! What do you have to say for yourself?"

There wasn't anything he knew that he could say to calm her down, but a word did begin to float about in his mind.

"Robin."

"E-Excuse me?" She said, her voice still trembling with anger.

"I remembered something. It's not much, but..My name is Robin."

"Well then, Robin, it seems you owe me a huuuuge debt!" Before Robin could protest that he didn't seem to have a single coin on him, she grabbed his hand and pulled him up along with herself. "This is worth much more than just gold. You're going to spend the rest of your life working for me until we find something of twice as much value as the thing you just broke!" She didn't wait for him to argue with her about it. The cards were dealt and the decision was made.

She tugged at his arm, but he made no effort to resist. He had no past, no memory, nothing to return to.

_"This is a start.." _He thought to himself as he gripped his cloak tightly, it threatening to fall off of him as the redhead pulled him into the distance.

* * *

_Notes: Here it is, my breather story. After realizing that I'm gonna have to do a huuuuge overhaul/reconnecting of ideas for **Continuum Shift **because it was my first big work and I messed up a lot of details, I wanted to do something that I could take my time with, really plan out, and give the best of to readers. I decided to post the prologue as a sample of it. I won't post the rest until I'm at least done with the first half of the story, which is progressing smoothly, so hopefully I won't take too long._

_Sorry for this bundle of info, and thanks for reading!_


	2. Chapter 1: Companionship

**Chapter 1: Companionship**

Anna had a flurry of emotions flying through her head at the moment. She was depressed, confused, sad, downright pissed off and most of all...happy.

She had come across the young man when she had gotten lost on her travels, mentally and physically putting her palm to her face once she realized that she had lost her map, the guide that was essential to her success, on her way out of the town. She hoped that the man would provide some help once he woke. Maybe he had a map to look at until she could find a new one. Maybe he could show her the way.

It was just her luck to find a man with amnesia, who would also break her best staff, only a couple of days after the start of her journey.

Yes, it certainly was lucky, she thought, that she would find someone who would listen to her rambles and chat with her. Someone who didn't give her lecherous or disgusted looks because she was a part of the famed Anna sisters. Those who were known for being beautiful girls and top sellers, but also as top swindlers and sometimes complete thieves.

She had been worried that alone, she couldn't handle the business world. That she would be tossed around and swindled herself. She didn't have that natural knack for selling her sisters did or the cunning for it either. They hoped putting her out into the world would increase her skills from experience, but it didn't seem to be working. But now, she had a partner. Or rather, a hostage...But he didn't fight back, so that's gotta mean something, right? And she didn't know why or how, but she had a great feeling about him. That he would be just what she needed.

Most of all, she was just happy to have someone else along for the ride.

About ten minutes into their walk towards who knows where, and not a word had been said. Anna began to wonder what the issue was, but had never turned to ask the man who traveled with her. Every now and again, she turned to ensure he was still following, but that was it. A couple more minutes of silence took place before she took the initiative.

"So, those robes are quite stylish. Where'd you get them?" She questioned, hoping for some kind of reply to start a quick chat.

"I don't know. I can't remember."

"_Oh. Right." _She thought, turning back around in both shame and embarrassment at such a foolish mistake.

…

…

…

"_It's so silent, it hurts..." _The merchant thought, feigning a pained look to match. She wanted to spring into something, _anything, _to speak of, but the fact that he was an amnesiac and that she so foolishly forgot that fact moments ago were stopping her from reacting. It was just too easy to screw up.

"Hey."

The sound of his voice caused the redhead to stop on a dime and turn a full 180, surprising the man beside her. She batted her eyes and said in as sweet a voice as she could muster, "Yes~?"

He faltered, almost taking back what he was prepared to ask after being stunned by such a sudden reaction. Still, he regained his composure. "Where are we headed, if you don't mind? We've been walking in the same direction for awhile now."

That was the question she hoped so desperately that he wouldn't ask. She accepted it and answered, "I...I'm not sure. I lost my map. But there's gotta be a town we can stop at nearby. Ylisse isn't that desolate!"

"...Ylisse?"

"Okay, amnesia, right." She clapped her hands together, prepared to make a show out the explanation she was about to give.

"Ylisse is this _huge _eastern country that believes in peace and prosperity. It's famous for its natural beauty, as you can see from these grassy plains. Don't you just want to lay down and take a nap in them?" That got a chuckle out of him, causing Anna to sport a grin herself.

"Citizens of Ylisse all live under the Exalt, our queen of sorts, Emmeryn. She and her siblings, Prince Chrom and Princess Lissa, work to protect us from the dangers of opposing nations."

"So, do you think I'm from Ylisse? Do they dress like this?" He raised an arm to show off the design of his cloak. The outfit had been like nothing she'd ever seen before. Definitely nothing like what she'd seen in her short life as a Ylissean. She shook her head, and his expression went from curious to just as solemn as before.

"Oh come on, don't look so down. There's a lot more to the world than just Ylisse. You'll find your place soon enough." Her comforting words were enough to bring a smile back to his face.

"Thank you-"

"Hey, don't start thanking me yet! You aren't going anywhere until you pay off that debt!" She gave his arm another tug, as to remind him of his position. "Now, let's keep...moving..forward?"

Words stopped flowing as she and Robin stood witness to a devastating sight. The entryway to the forest ahead had been completely decimated, burned to cinders. Trees were collapsed all around and flames still licked the area. There was no way they could enter from there.

"Great...Just great! And here I thought we had some kind of lead!" Anna ruffled her hair in frustration, unwittingly letting go of Robin's arm to do so. The young man walked towards the burnt forestry, examining it with calculative eyes.

"This is..recent. What could have happened here?" He scanned the plain with morbid curiosity. Signs of quakes showed as the earth split apart in different parts of the ground. Magma still flowed from the earth. "This doesn't seem normal at all. Unless magma-spewing earthquakes are natural in Ylisse?"

That question was pointed at Anna, which she quickly picked up on. "No, they're not. But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that the only clear path we could find is now blocked off. And if we try to go around, we could get even more lost." She dropped her bag next to the closest tree that still stood, sitting next to it and trying to get in the most relaxing position she could.

"What are you doing?" Robin asked, thoroughly confused. Anna patted the ground next to her, signaling him to sit.

"We're stopping here for the day. Unless we see someone pass by with a map and an easy transport, we're better off staying. The guardsmen of a nearby town will come to investigate eventually. Then they can take us back to town."

Robin took his place beside her, resting his head on the tree. "And if they don't come? What if they've already passed?" She gave him her most pensive look, slightly annoyed by his realism.

"You were the one who said the flames are recent. They've got to at least start restoration, right? Be a little optimistic for once."

The day quickly progressed, the sun beginning to set soon after they had settled down. Robin and Anna didn't mince many words. However, that didn't mean they didn't communicate. When Robin's stomach grumbled, Anna passed the apples she carried. When Robin shivered from the cold air, Anna tried her best to start a fire.

Tried was the key word, as her attempts to use the ever-flowing magma nearby only ended with seared pieces of wood. She only wished she'd paid more attention to her sisters when it came to survival skills. It was always the most boring of her lessons.

Robin looked upon her, amazed at how hard she was willing to try for his sake. He'd only known her for a couple of hours, but she put so much effort into caring for him. He knew he had to repay the favor somehow.

He turned to the bag the girl kept with her, now leaning against the tree. Anna hadn't looked for anything inside to start a fire, but it couldn't hurt to check. Maybe she'd forgotten something.

"_Swords, lances, knives, potions...Hmm?" _Robin pulled out a book marked with a flame, the design seemingly familiar to him. He read its contents, the runes that covered the book somehow decipherable.

He walked to where Anna sat, the young merchant still attempting to start a spark with two sticks. It seemed like her rage was about to boil over. He grasped the two sticks from her hands, surprising her. He then motioned her to follow him back to their resting place, gradually picking up nearby pieces of wood along the way.

Anna looked on with curiosity, jumping slightly when Robin uncovered the book he kept under his shoulder. "Hey, that's a fire tome..That's my Arcfire tome! What are you-?"

Robin silenced her as he dropped the pieces of wood he'd picked up onto the floor, opening up the tome in his hand and whispering the incantations for it, attempting to recall just what was needed to use a spell.

Runes slowly formed around him, the tome tugging on the elements to be at his beck and call. He forced out his free hand and with a shout, tossed a ball of flame to the wood he'd gathered.

Or rather, that's what he had intended. The flame had appeared as a large orb, but as it flew towards the target, it quickly became just an ember. It lightly lit one of the sticks, but it was not enough to start a full fire.

Anna stared at the stick, picked it up within her own hand, and laughed. It started as a giggle, but she would eventually let out a hearty laugh that Robin was sure echoed throughout the forest.

"Oh..Haha...Nice try." She said, trying her best to settle down. "Really, it was nice of you, but you shouldn't attempt magic if you don't know what you're doing. It was a really good try though." She put the flaming stick to the rest of the bunch, a small flare igniting because of it. "Usually, that stuff just blows up in my face."

"You've tried before?" Robin asked, curious, but also hoping to take both of their minds off of the cold air and small flame. They both took a seat next to their tiny candle. Anna unraveled a blanket from her kit and used it to cover herself.

"Yeah, a long time ago. My sisters said I was terrible at it. That I shouldn't even try." Her usually happy features now showed a sad smile. Robin decided not to press her.

Silence began to take hold once again, the only sounds being the howling of the wind and the kindling of the flame. Every now and again, sparse words were passed, but they were nothing but empty thoughts.

"When do you think they'll arrive?" Robin asked.

"I don't know." Anna replied.

"Should we have looked for another route?" Robin asked.

"I doubt it would've helped." Anna responded.

…

…

…

Robin, restless from the thought of being out in the forest with little protection, turned to Anna once again. He called out to her, but gained no response. He moved a bit closer to see she had fallen asleep on her blanket, curled up as much as she could. As she lay there, now she was the one shivering.

Without a second thought, Robin removed his cloak and placed it atop the girl. She grasped it instinctively as it made contact, but quickly calmed and pulled it closer.

The man laid against the tree and watched, her breathing slow and peaceful. It wasn't long before the calm nature of the night sky took him as well, and he fell into blissful sleep.

* * *

_Notes: __4 months. Four months of no updates. And I feel really bad. But it's not because I'm not working on it. In fact, it's because I want it to be worth your time that it took so long for me to do this. _

_To be honest, I wasn't going to update until I had the full first arc done, but since I'm going back to school soon, it's going to take even longer to finish it. And it's taking pretty long as is constructing the story. So to make up for that, here's the next chapter, just so I don't have half of a year's worth of no update time._

_I really do appreciate all those who are giving this story a read and putting up with my slow schedule. Please, review so I can improve from my faults in the future._

_Again, thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 2: Doppelganger

**Chapter 2: Doppelganger  
**

"_Aaaaah~_"

Anna stretched out her arms and legs as she woke from her nap, sitting up and glancing about to see that the forest was still ruined, she was still laying on the ground in the middle of nowhere, and she still was not in a comfortable bed. _"Couldn't have just been a bad dream.."_

She noticed there was one thing different about the day. As she turned to her fellow traveler, the man she met yesterday, he was still sleeping quietly against the tree. But he was without his coat.

It took her a few moments to notice that the thing she held so tightly was not a part of her blanket, but the coat of the man before her. _"Isn't that sweet?" _She thought, smiling lightly at the kind gesture.

Slowly, she stood up from the ground, glancing out to the plains around her. Surprisingly, no restoration team had come out, as the forest was still as tattered as the day before, no signs of clearance whatsoever. Her judgement had landed her an even longer stay at this spot than necessary.

"Ugh..what to do now.." Her arms crossed and foot tapping rapidly against the rough ground, she gazed at her surroundings once more. Out in the distance, she spotted something...brown. She took a step closer and noticed it was a horse, and behind it, a caravan.

She ran forward to be within its line of sight and waved to the rider excitedly. This was it, this was her ticket out! She couldn't spend another day out in the woods.

As it came closer and closer, Anna felt the person riding the stallion was oddly familiar. It was definitely a face she'd seen before.

In fact, it was like looking into a mirror.

"Stuck already?" The rider said giddily. "I can't wait to tell Mom about this."

Robin woke only minutes later, vision still hazy and body still weak. He just wanted to go back to sleep. Looking up from his place under the tree, he saw Anna standing and talking to..

...Another Anna.

_"I'm still sleeping then. I guess I'll just lay back down." _He wasn't given much of an opportunity as his coat was suddenly thrust upon him, causing him to jump and slam his head back onto the tree.

"Oww..."

"Oh..He's awake." One of the pair said, while the other seemed to turn from him, embarrassed. Robin quickly concluded that she must've been the one who threw the coat.

As his vision slowly enhanced, he could see the clear similarities and differences in the two girls. The one he'd met had red hair, but the other he saw had the same hair with a color of green. The green-haired Anna had a sword tied to her waist, where his Anna had no weapons other than the ones she sought to sell. The two stood side by side, in the middle of a heated discussion that Robin could barely make out.

"...If it were just you, sis, it'd be easy. I'd take you around and you would be on your way. But extra people come at an extra price." The newcomer had a wide grin on her face, one that spelled trickery. Anna was not at all surprised. She sighed.

"You always do this..What do you want?" The green-haired woman seemed disappointed in the lack of a battle or barter, but answered nonetheless.

"I want you to stop traveling for a bit. Settle down. Set up shop in town, just for a short time." Anna's expression quickly changed to one of anger at the request, but her twin seemed quite adamant.

"I just got out into the world and you want me to stop? That's not funny! Just because I've always been the weakest-!"

"It's not that!" Anna did not calm, but she gave her sister a chance to speak. "I...I know how you feel. But we realized there's something bad going on since that last quake happened. You wouldn't go back home if we forced you to, so I want you to be careful. You'll realize what I mean soon enough."

Anna had let the arms she'd crossed slack in acceptance. Her sisters, despite their tricks and secrets, were always looking out for her. She decided it would be best to take her advice.

"Aaaaand I want 40% of all profits you make in the time you spend in the city, okay? Okay."

Anna stumbled upon her words as she tried to create a retort, but she realized there was no fighting it. This was her sister, no doubt. There would be no debating once a deal was made.

She turned back to the nearby tree, where she expected Robin to still be, sleeping or watching. Instead, he'd moved to the caravan, stroking the horse's mane gently, completely enamored, as if he'd never seen one before.

Again, she recalled that even if he remembers every term, every trait, every single thing in the world from his past in the form of words and images, he has lost all true notion of what these things do. It was both adorable and saddening, seeing him pet the animal so caring and curiously.

She and her sister locked eyes and Anna knew there was much to discuss between them.

They boarded her caravan, her sister riding the steed and the passengers squeezing themselves in between all of the cargo kept in the back. Uncomfortable as it was, both Anna and Robin were happy to have found a way of transport. They sat side by side, their closeness only perturbing Anna a small amount, as it seemed it didn't bother her cohort one bit.

"So," The male at her side began, "Who's the doppelganger? You haven't said anything about her since you signaled me over."

""Doppelganger"? Can't you pick simpler words, like twin or copycat?" She giggled at his choice despite her words. "That's my older sister, Annabel. Hold your jokes until the end of the ride, please." This time, it was Robin that chuckled. "She offered to take us into a nearby city, but she never said which one, and I don't know the area well enough to say where she's going."

"Doesn't that make things just a bit more interesting?" He said, browsing through the various amounts of goods and gold he saw around him. "Ever since I woke, everything has been new to me. I can name most things on sight, but to me..every bit of the world brings a new feeling of excitement. Isn't that what you feel now?"

His viewpoint of the world seemed almost childish, but in that child-like enthusiasm is an optimistic outlook on the world. A piece of wisdom that most adults would have forgotten by now. Anna couldn't help but notice that her heart was now racing just thinking about going somewhere she's never seen. It was euphoric.

The ride was long and rough, traversing around a large amount of crumbled terrain. Anna took this time to explain many things to Robin, starting from the first concoction they'd found in the caravan to the various worth of gold, silver, and bronze. He'd steadily listened to each one before quickly moving onto the next.

For Robin, it was enthralling and he absorbed it all without issue. For Anna, it was a review of all she learned from her mother and sisters before setting out into the world. Every now and then, a question would arise from Robin, and at times, Anna didn't have an answer. It gave her an idea of what to look into once she started selling wares.

Hours into their ride, it had gotten much more quiet between the two. Robin had began reading many of the tomes he'd found in quick succession. Anna found it amazing how quickly he could take in all of this information. Even more so when he reached the magic ones, praticing many of the incantations he'd found, producing small flames and sparks.

They weren't exactly powerful, but they were controlled and concentrated, and that in itself was impressive. Only a night ago, he'd been unable to produce a standard flame, but now he was making flames stronger than that after a couple of hours of reading. _"Practice makes perfect, I guess."_

It wasn't until Anna began to feel her eyes lull and her body slumber that the movement stopped. She glanced over to Robin with what little strength she had to see he was fast asleep. The curtain was flung open as the green-haired twin shouted,

"Rise and shine, you two! We're finally in Ylisstol!...Hey, have you been using my tomes?!"

Neither had heard the woman, both finally succumbing to a deep slumber.

* * *

_Notes: So, one reviewer said I should compromise with a 3 month update rather than a 4 month update. So here it is! I really would update more often, but I'm currently at a point in the story that is incredibly important to the main plot and I want to get it right. And I don't want to leave you guys for 6 months without an update because I don't have the time to write and have difficultly writing at the same time. _

_Yes, in this story, every Anna has a name with an "Anna" prefix. It's a family thing. You'll learn more about it later. _

_Lastly, I just want to say that I am **incredibly **thankful for the reviews. You guys really inspire me to take this story all the way. And I will. Because I have **so much planned. **I just have to put it into a cohesive form. _

_Thanks for reading, as always!_


	4. Chapter 3: Appraisal

**Chapter 3: Appraisal**

Anna woke with an aching back and a growling stomach.

When looking around, it seemed that Annabel had left them in Ylisstol, most likely an inn, paying for their rooms begrudgingly. Anna would wake to a note from the twin that said, "40% is now 60%. Don't forget."

With a groan, she rose from the bed she slept in, rubbing said sleep out of her eyes. She could tell immediately that her sister was the same old cheapstake she remembered her as, paying for the smallest room possible.

Which is why Robin slept on the floor.

"At least he's comfortable.." She said to herself, looking down at the man who seemed perfectly content, cradling his pillow. It seemed they had been taken straight to bed, as neither of them had changed out of their clothes. Anna glanced around for her supply bag, finding it against the door. She sighed thankfully. That bag was her life as of now.

Rummaging through her belongings, she found a notepad and a bottle of ink, as well as a quill to write with. Just as quickly as she'd jumped out, Anna sat back onto the bed, writing to herself about recent events and agenda.

_Anna's Log_

That was the simple and short name of her logbook. She'd kept track of every event since she left home, but not much had happened.

_1\. Lost map..I'm such an idiot. What if one of my sisters catches me like this?_

Seeing that note only made her laugh at the irony. Her sister had found her, but it ended up in her favor. Thankfully, Annabel, while a conniving trickster, wasn't the type to tease. She prayed she wouldn't find the other any time soon.

Quill painted in black ink, she began to write the next entry.

_2\. Found a cute guy after I lost my map. He broke my staff!...But it wasn't his fault. He's still coming with me until we find another staff as good as Mom's. Which probably means forever. Got stuck out in the woods thanks to a burnt down forest making the road too hard to traverse on feet. Annabel helped us out the next day, but now I'm pretty much working for her..Just my luck._

_...Oh, and she said something about a danger in the next few days. Wouldn't tell me what though. Scary._

With that, last note, she shut her notebook and stuffed her tools back into the bag. Nearby, Robin was still slumbering quietly. She smiled, thinking it best to leave him there. She knew she hated it when people woke her up.

"Alright..Time to take on the town!

* * *

"You're awake. About time."

Anna froze at the loud voice that called out to her as she came down the stairs of the inn. Looking down from the railing, she saw a man at the bar. The barkeep, she'd assume. He wasn't anything fancy, just an old man with a scruffy face and a large build. He had short, dark hair and skin of a tanned color, something she didn't see very often where she was from. His volume made her want to rush back upstairs and bury her head in a pillow.

"What are you waiting for? Come on down, breakfast is already made."

She cautiously climbed down the stairs, taking in her surroundings. The inn's first floor was wider than she'd expected. It was the size of a small restaurant. She could see a few hallways, which she assumed were for the rest of the rooms at the inn.

As she took her seat at the counter, the barkeep and assumed owner of the place sat her plate of food down in front of her. It was about as simple as a homemade breakfast could be. About three small slices of ham and a sizable slice of bread. Regardless, her stomach rumbled as the aroma of the content filled her senses. She hadn't eaten a good standard meal in days. She picked up the fork laid to the side for her and began to scarf down the food as quickly as she could.

"Hey, you should slow down.." The barkeep said, hands held up worriedly. "You might-" He was interrupted by the loud thumping Anna made against her chest. "...Choke."

The merchant girl recovered quickly as she gasped loudly, sucking in air. Once she'd calmed down, the burly man handed her a cup of water, which she gladly took and downed just as fast as her meal. This time, once finished, she breathed a sigh of relief, and the man gave one as well.

"So..." Anna began, ready to face the consequences. "How much am I paying for these?"

The man bellowed again, his laughter making Anna want to go so far as to hide under the counter.

"Oh, that's rich. Don't worry, girl. Breakfast is on the house here. You're our special guests."

Anna was thoroughly confused by his statement. "You have VIP slots at your inn?" She was more bothered with the implication that her sister paid for something like that. The rooms certainly didn't show it.

He looked like he was ready to laugh again, but as Anna cringed in preperation, he managed to hold it back. "Hah! This is no inn. It's my home. Yeah, we have some gatherings here and there, but this building is all mine." Anna's continued perturbed look led him to continue. "Your sister, Annabel? Charming girl, if a bit manipulative. She's an old friend."

_"Manipulative is right..." _Anna thought, recalling the note she'd read only moments earlier.

As Anna's famished feelings began to perish, she rose from her chair, thanking the man for the meal. She started for the door before he called out to her once more.

"Young lady, your sister did leave one more thing for you." He held out his hand, which held a paper still wrapped in a roll. She near snatched it from his hands, opening it to see it was a map of Ylisstol and all of the smaller cities and towns that surrounded it. It was no full map of Ylisse, but it would do until Anna had found her own.

She turned and reached for the door, but stopped herself, turning to the barkeep once more. "Hey, if the guy that was with me asks, say I'll meet him back here in an hour or so."

"Will do." The man proclaimed.

With that, Anna took her first step out of the inn and into the vastness of the capital.

* * *

Anna was amazed at the large scale of the area, so many shops and merchantries, buildings and homes..With the palace of the Exalt at the very end of it all. Her own home was small and hidden, kept away in the deeper corners of Ylisse. This was an almost painful change, the crowds disorienting her.

_"Can I really stay in this place for so long?" _She thought to herself. She would have to suffer through it.

Crowded as it was, Anna didn't find herself shoving and pushing through them. Everyone kept their own little space between paths, allowing for easy movement. The lanes were big enough to keep each person seperated, some crowds stopping at the shops and others on the way to their homes. It seemed like the entire town was in some sort of harmony. It was almost dream-like.

Above it all stood the palace of Ylisse, the place where the Exalt had ruled. Anna herself had never seen the queen of this nation nor her siblings, but she knew of them from stories. Queen Emmeryn was radiant, Prince Chrom was as sharp and strong as the blade he wielded, and Princess Lissa had an enthusiasm that lit up rooms in seconds.

Anna didn't want to admit it, but she was giddy. If it wasn't for the sake of being mature in this maelstrom of people, she'd have run down the path, exploring every nook and cranny of the city.

She was still going to do that anyway, but with less bubbly excitement.

* * *

_Notes: Why did it take me 4 months to write this chapter, you ask? Well, it didn't._

_I honestly just wanted to plan ahead so that I didn't have any contradicting elements in the story. If I had been posting each one after I was done, (coughcoughContinuumShiftcoughcough) I would probably screw myself some time along the way. So don't worry. The long wait actually means I'm still working, not that I stopped._

_As always, thanks for reading!_


	5. Chapter 4: Partners

**Chapter 4: Partners**

Robin woke much later than Anna, a couple of hours into the afternoon. At first, he'd thought that she had left with her sister and dropped him off at an inn of some kind, but seeing her bag, those fears fell quickly.

The amnesiac didn't take much time to appreciate the room, as he moved to leave the minute he realized the merchant was gone. She'd return, he knew, but his blatant curiosity had him already exploring the rather large building.

His eventual conclusion was that there wasn't much to see. Yes, it was very spacious, but that space itself was surprisingly bare. The main hall was wide, but empty. The most it had was a bar of some sort with small stools to sit upon. The rest was unused space, which left an odd air lingering around the room.

There were quite a few hallways that extended outwardly from the main hall. Under the impression that this place is an inn, Robin thought it simple to have multiple rooms. Still, the lack of lively atmosphere would certainly be a turn off to customers.

"Hello?" He called, looking for any sign of company. Not a single voice called back.

"I guess I have no choice." He moved for the entrance of the inn. "If I can't find Anna in here, I'll have to look outside."

He grabbed the handle of the door, pulling it open and letting the bright rays of light envelop him. At first, he was blinded. When his eyes cleared, he saw something utterly spectacular.

It was just one glance, but he could see a large castle in the distance, one that climbed high into the sky. Deep down, he felt some connection to it. A drive to go there emerged spontaneously.

And that urge died down just as quickly as it came when a book came rushing towards him.

Robin cupped his face as he groaned in pain. Out of the space between his fingers, he could see a familiar redhead glaring down at him.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Robin felt he shrunk under the power the voice held. He let go of his face, it still glowing red from being hit square in the nose. Now he could see that it was Anna who had assaulted him. She was carrying an assortment of tomes, along with vials both filled and empty.

"Didn't the owner tell you to stay inside?" Anna questioned, irritation still clear in her tone. Robin shook his head vigorously.

"I don't know what you're talking about! I went outside to look for you!"

"Hmm..." Her gaze was disbelieving, but she didn't push further. "Let's go inside. We've got a lot to discuss."

"Yes, ma'am..."

Robin turned back to the door, and as he opened it, there was a new figure at the bar of the inn. It was a young woman, maybe just a bit younger than Anna, dressed in a waitress outfit. She sat silently upon one of the stools, notebook in hand. When the pair entered, she turned to look at them. It took only a moment's glance before she turned around and continued scribbling down words onto her pad.

"Who's that?" Anna asked. "Maybe another member of this inn?" Robin supplied.

"This isn't an inn. It's someone's house. Which means, she lives here." Anna returned.

"It's not very nice to whisper behind someone's back." The girl finally spoke, placing her notes aside. "You guys are the guests my dad mentioned, right?" Her back was still turned to them. She didn't wait for a reply. "You better be worth the extra funds."

Anna was already growing a feeling of resentment for the young girl, while Robin was ridden with confusion. Before either could retort, footsteps were heard. Large ones. It didn't take long before the owner of the household appeared, still as gruff as before. His posture was a bit sluggish and his eyes still heavy. A loud yawn sealed in the idea that he'd just been slumbering.

"Aaaah...Cath..What are you doing up so early? You too, merchant girl, and...Uh, who are you?" He pointed to Robin, his finger waving carelessly through the air.

"I'm Robin. Anna's..." It was then that Robin realized he did not exactly know of his position next to Anna. Was he a servant? An aid? Anna had never given him a title.

"He's my partner." Anna finished for him. Partner. Robin liked the sound of that. The burly man grinned before standing behind the bar, grabbing a small glass and what looked like a bottle of wine from the array of cabinets. He poured himself some and swallowed it in one go. His daughter shook her head in annoyance.

"Well, Robin, my name's Garren. This.." He gripped his daughter's head and shook her hair, disheveling it. "Is my daughter, Cathlyn." Cathlyn, obviously unhappy with the predicament of her now messy hair, jumped out of her seat and away from her father. This gave Robin and Anna their first real look at her face. Her only likeness to her father was the dark color of her hair. Her skin color was extremely pale, lighter than Robin's own, and her eyes were a subdued blue.

"It's nice to meet you, Cathlyn." Anna said respectfully. When Robin did not react similarly, she planted a sly elbow right into his hip, causing him to bow involuntarily. "We're both very thankful for your hospitality."

"Yeah...thanks.." Robin muttered out.

"You talk as if you're leaving." Cathlyn said coldly. Her words left the traveling duo stunned into silence. Anna was the first to come out of her stupor.

"Uh, yeah? I can't stay here forever. I'm a traveling..merchant..." As if the gears in her head finally began to turn, Anna's speech slowed and her anger rose. Her hands now balled into fists, she was trembling with rage.

"Is she bribing you?"

"No, it's nothing like that." Garren sighed at his daughter's blunt way of speaking. "Like I said, your sister and I are old friends. I'm just repaying a favor."

Anna's temper did not fade. "...At the very least, could she not let me get my own housing?" She grumbled, which everyone still clearly heard.

"She just wants what's best for her family. Trust me, it's hard enough to find places to live in Ylisstol."

"And what about my wares? I can't exactly sell without registering myself in Ylisstol's list of merchants. And I can't register without a place to work."

"Are you really that dense? Connect the dots." Cathlyn said in response. Garren flinched at her harsh words and grimaced as he saw Anna's mouth agape at the comment. He braced himself for a burst of rage.

"Anna, I think he means that we're supposed to work here." Robin said, moving in front of her to momentarily block her vision of Cathlyn. "It's a perfect place for anything you'd want to do. There's space for a shopping center, diner, or an inn as we had pictured it."

"So now she thinks I'm indecisive?" Her voice still quivered, but Garren was glad to see that Robin's words had quelled her. "I guess I'm fine with that, but..." Her gaze turned to the owner of the expansive home. "What about you? Are you okay with turning your home into a place anyone can walk through and explore?"

Garren smiled widely. "It has always been a dream of mine to do something like this. I just never had the drive. With you two, I think we can make it work." He could see his daughter glaring at him from the corner of his eye. _"An argument for another time..." _he thought.

Anna let out an exaggerated sigh, her tense shoulders slumping. "Well, now that we've established this, what are we doing here? I've got wares, but they're definitely not of infinite supply. We're gonna need money. Lots of it."

"You're going to have to start small. Your recognition as an Anna will get you business from the commoners, but the nobles will definitely ignore us." Garren scratched his chin in thought. "If you want to have stock after your first week, I'd say you're going to have to acquaint yourself with Ylisstol's smaller businesses."

"What do you mean by small? You would think that the capital would only iconic shops."

"You'd be surprised. Cath, let me see your book." Cathlyn passed her notepad and quill without a sound. Garren signaled Anna and Robin over, scribbling words down as they came by. When they reached him, he began drawing a pyramid-like diagram.

"In Ylisstol, there are three main classes. First, there's the lower district of Ylisstol." He wrote the word "Lower Class" inside the bottom of the pyramid. "These people live off of Ylisstol's natural welfare. That is, whatever the Exalt gives them. They survive, but they have very little to afford their own luxuries."

"Secondly, there's the middle district." He wrote the words into the middle section of the pyramid. "The people of the middle class don't need the extra supplies that the Exalt gives the lower class, but they also have a low taxation in order for them to keep their earned money. The middle class is a cycling community. A large amount of the money circulates from business to business within the district, with the rare exception of a noble purchasing from them. No one gets too wealthy, as they spend money on each other. You'll be hard pressed to find families in the middle class that aren't related to a merchant."

"Lastly, there's the upper district." In big letters, Garren wrote down the title of the final step of the pyramid, even going as far as to circle it for emphasis. "These are noble families, born into their riches. Businesses in the upper class are kept in the upper class, though many of them import a vast amount of their materials from outside of Ylisstol's surrounding cities and sometimes even from other nations. The nobles pay the most taxes, but it hardly affects them-"

"That's because the upper class is corrupt." Cathlyn cut in, earning her a stern look from her father. Despite this, she continued. "The nobles don't worry about taxes because they take their money from what little the middle and lower class have. They get them started, trick those new to the business world or lacking in proper education into signing complicated contracts, and then force them into debt for the rest of their lives." As she spoke, Cathlyn's tone, which had, until now, maintained a seemingly uncaring air, had shown a surprising amount of malevolence. Garren's eyes showed disapproval, but he did not negate her statements.

"So..." Anna said, slyly pushing away the tension, "Ylisstol divides its people by class. And from what you're saying, it looks like we can't touch the upper or middle class businesses. What's that leave us with?"

"Cathlyn brought mention to it." Robin piped in. "There are people in the lower class being stolen from by those in the upper class. Meaning the lower class has businesses, right?"

"Right." Garren grinned at his unique perception. "There are small groups of businesses that start in the lower class. Because they're so low on funds, each merchant in the lower class typically specializes in one menial thing, like potions or cheap and unstable weaponry. They aren't supported by others in the lower class, with little to no money to spend, and those in higher classes don't want to put stock in useless products. They appear without notice, before quickly fading away."

"Let me get this straight." Anna took a seat in one of the many bar stools, cupping her hands together. "You want us to make partnerships with lower class businesses in order to keep stock up..And you plan to use my family name as advertisement?"

"That's the plan. You're lucky. Ylisstol's never had its own Anna."

"I don't like it."

"Well, it's all we've got." Garren held his hand out. "Do we have a deal?"

Anna was hesitant. Inwardly, she was angry about the whole ordeal. She hadn't come to settle down in a fancy town.. She was supposed to aid travelers and explore the world! This wasn't what she wanted at all, and her family knew it!

"_But...They aren't in town..."_

That was the sign of assurance. Not one member of her family seemed to be in town transporting goods in Ylisstol and making the killing they should. It was unfathomable, a capital city without an Anna. But now she saw it. This was her first test.

"_But why the capital..? It just doesn't make sense.."_

Anna knew she didn't have time to ponder. It was do or die. Start a business with these strangers, or be stuck waiting for her sister to come back and take what money she has away. And even though she wanted to run back out into the field, Annabel's words still wavered through her mind.

Anna extended her hand and slowly slid it into Garren's much bigger one.

"Okay, Garren. You've got yourself a partnership."

* * *

_Notes: So, two months? That's better than three, right? I was hesitant as I was not sure if this was the way I wanted to go, but I have decided that it is. There's no turning back._

_If it feels like Robin isn't getting a ton of screen time here, it's because he doesn't really have much to say. It's business, and he knows nothing of the trade. To that note, Cathlyn and Garren are two of the few mainstay original characters for this story. I don't have that many planned, so if you were worried this story would be overrun by super important OCs, it won't. I can count the number of them on my hands. _

_As always, thanks for reading! Let's see if I can go for a 1 month update next time._


	6. Chapter 5: Origins

**Chapter 5: Origins**

Robin scanned over the array of novels he now had at his disposal. One by one, he had read them thoroughly, some more times than others, and he knew exactly of their contents.

Just yesterday, as the deal had been settled, Anna and Garren went straight to crafting the large home into a merchantry. The bar area was now set with tables and chairs, the drab, dull color now lost thanks to flags and banners Garren set atop the windows and ceiling. Cathlyn, the young lady they'd been introduced to, provided no aid. In fact, she had fled to her quarters and had not returned since the deal had been made.

Right before they went onto construction, Anna remembered a critical detail. This began Robin's current quest.

_"Oh, right! Here. Take these." _

_Anna pulled out a variety of books from her bag, shoving them into Robin's hands. _

_"If we're going to be partners, you need to actually be able to help. Your amnesia only makes matters worse." _

_Robin looked over the various titles of each book. "The Anthology of Merchants", "Business for Simpletons", "The Truth of Gold", and a large selection of other smaller novels with names all relating to business. _

_"Read all of those. By tomorrrow." An expression of shock passed Robin's face, but Anna was not convinced. "You may not have noticed, but you absorb information like a sponge. Remember those magic tomes?" Robin nodded, but was not convinced. He had a distinct feeling that anything magical was much easier than what these contained."These novels cost me a ton too, so I'm adding it to your debt. If you can't learn how to sell, then I'll have to set you to labor work. That means getting all of our supplies on foot. Much less costly than paying for a carrier." Anna winked and smiled her knowing smile. Robin now knew the consequences, and he was not willing to pay the price._

Robin had now read through every one of the novels he had been given. "The Truth of Gold" was fine, expressing to him the value of the currency used worldwide and how lesser coins such as silver or copper were relics. It was simple. Gold was all that mattered. The simple necessities could be afforded with the coins, but more expensive items were purchased with gold pieces, or "bullions", which are the material of which gold coins are made. In centuries past, a small pouch of them was worth close to 10,000 gold, but now it fetches about in the hundreds, as they have become a commonly found item. A solid bar rather than fragments will fetch for at least 5,000 gold, but gold bars are less common than the shards of gold found easily in the grounds of Ylisse. Still, silver and copper made for good construction material, so they are still worth something in trade.

The other novels expressed the opinions of former experts in the business industry. They were more or less the same for each famed member, something along the lines of, "treating your customers like family" or "perfecting your craft". Robin thought these were simple and honest things, nothing worth the ire that Cathlyn had displayed.

It was now very early morning of the next day, with the sun not yet shining light on the capital. As such, it was still dim outside and his partner had very much still been snoozing the night away. Since he couldn't get himself to sleep, Robin took this opportunity to see just how far Anna and Garren had come since he last saw their reconstruction.

Their shared room was still upstairs, so Robin made very light steps as to not alert either person that slept on the lower floor. As he climbed down the steps to the first floor, he noticed a presence at the bar. Upon closer inspection, he noticed it was Cathlyn, the girl he'd met only a few hours ago. She was scribbling heavily on her notepad once again. In fact, she was so focused that she had not noticed Robin until he'd taken a seat on the stool next to her.

"..Hm? What do you want?" She was immediately annoyed and Robin wondered if this was her everyday demeanor.

"Nothing really. I just can't sleep." Cathlyn had not stopped writing down on her pad, but she nodded in response. "What are you writing about?"

Cathlyn's eyes turned to daggers pointed directly at Robin, but she did not bite back with the vicious tongue she had been shown to use before. Instead, she stared for quite awhile, before putting her quill down and turning her chair to him.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Robin, Anna's-"

"No, stop. I don't care about the other one. What's your deal? Why are you traveling with her?"

Robin really had not expected the interrogation, but it was better than her dodging around or completely negating any potential conversation. "I broke something of hers, and I am indebted to her until I can replace it."

Cathlyn clicked her tongue in clear annoyance. "So you just decided that you could drop all of your duties for a girl, huh? You must be pretty desperate."

"It's not like that. I don't have any duties. None that I can recall, anyway."

"So you've got amnesia?"

"Yes. I know it sounds farfetched, but-"

"If you didn't have it, you probably wouldn't be strolling around in those robes."

Robin didn't understand the message she was trying to send, but he made sure to take note of it. He didn't have time to question her, as she took the initiative.

"What do you think your past was?"

The question caught him off guard. No one had bothered to ask that since he woke up, and he didn't have all that much time to speculate. Aiding Anna was at the forefront of his mind.

"I don't really know. The only clue I have is the coat." He held out his sleeve, the eyes upon it seemingly widening as he thrust out his arm. "It's pretty creepy, isn't it?" Robin said, attempting to lighten the mood. This gesture only seemed to make Cathlyn more aggravated, eliciting a nervous chuckle from him.

"Let me let you in on something. That coat is from Plegia, our neighbor country." Robin's interest grew tenfold at the sound of this new information. He hadn't believed anyone knew where he might be from. "I've never seen anything like it, so don't expect me to give you all the answers." Robin instantly deflated, which brought a small smile to Cathlyn's face, though it passed as quickly as it came.

"I can tell it's Plegian because of the design. That design is based on the likeness of the Fell Dragon, Grima." Robin's head rocked at the sound of 'Grima', to the point where he had to hold it from slamming into the bar counter. Cathlyn, surprised by the sudden discomfort, stopped to ask, "Are you okay? Are your memories coming back?"

"No, I...There's nothing. I'm sorry. I'm fine. Continue, please." Robin insisted. With a worried look, Cathlyn moved on.

"Grima is the god of Plegia, just like Naga is Ylisse's deity. Clothes like yours are typically worn by Grimleal, which are Grima's cultist worshippers."

"So you would suppose that I am one of these..Grimleal?" Robin's voice took on a strained tone, which only furthered the worried look in Cathlyn's eyes. She stood up and grabbed him a glass, pouring him water to drink. He thanked her quietly, as his head still ached.

"It's no problem. That's the good thing about living in a bar. There's always something to drink."

There was an awkward silence for a moment, which was eventually broken by Robin's faint laughter.

"What?" Cathlyn said, concern still written on her face.

"I'm sorry." He gently pulled the water toward himself. "It's just weird..seeing you make a joke, that is."

"Tch.." Cathlyn tried to glare at him again, but her eyes were softer than before. "It's not like I'm always a spiteful chick. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"But yes, as I was saying, you're probably one of the Grimleal. Unless you just stole their coats to look like one." Cathlyn closed her eyes and sighed. She couldn't keep her irritable persona up against such a blank slate. He barely had any traits to be annoyed at.

"Look, I'm not telling you all this to help you remember your past. I think it would be better if you didn't. But..This city. Ylisstol is a tough place for Plegians. You already have the complexion of one, but if people see you out with that coat on, you'll find yourself in a world of hurt."

Robin's more than confused look was enough for Cathlyn to continue, but she felt like she was explaining the world to a child for the first time.

"Ylisse and Plegia were at war twelve years ago. Tensions with our neighbors never died down. Especially not in the capital of all places. It's hard to explain. Just...don't go outside with that thing, alright?"

Robin absorbed the information, but had a hard time imagining departing from the cloak, despite having no memory of its history. It was the only significant part of his past, and she had just asked him to hide it away. He weighed the options in his mind, but only gave her a nod in response.

With a sigh, Cathlyn stood up from the bar stool. "Well, I'm done for the night. If you're staying here, be sure to put out the candles when you're done. It's a waste otherwise." She picked up her quill and notepad before shuffling off to her own room, the floorboards making a distinct creak as she traversed down the hall. Robin wondered if Anna had noticed that issue, and made note to ask of it later.

With his consultant now gone, Robin was left think over the ideas she'd given him about his past. Plegia, the Grimleal..._**Grima.**_ That name alone once again brought a strong ringing through Robin's mind. Unlike the one before, it grew and grew, causing Robin to cry out in agony.

Cathlyn raced back to the main hall at the sound of his cry, only to find him coiled and writhing in pain on the floor.

"Oh, gods...Father!"

* * *

_"Struggle all you want! You cannot unwrite what is already written!"_

_"You can't escape it! That's why it's called destiny!"_

_"Swords, sorcery, AND tactics! Is there anything you can't do?"_

_"The enemy's strength, their weaponry, the flow of battle..."_

_**"Where..are..you?"**_

* * *

_**Notes: One month! We're making progress.  
**_

_**I have more free time in recent days, so I'm trying to edit and write more chapters as we speak. It's going pretty well, and I can assure you, you'll get the next one in less than a month.**_

_**As always, thanks for reading!**_


	7. Chapter 6: Perspective

**Chapter 6: Perspective  
**

Anna was filled with anxiety and worry.

Anxiety over her trip into the lower districts. She had assumed that Ylisstol would look beautiful, whether someone were high or low in status, but she had instead seen a world much different than imagined.

The lower districts weren't gross and filthy, but they weren't as lively and full of positivity as the middle district had seemed to be. In fact, she saw very little people flittering through the area, and wondered just how many people were left in the lower district.

The worry came from her partner's sudden illness. She had awoken the day after she and Garren had planned out the layout of the shop, ready to deal out some harsh yet comedic criticism to his slumber through it all. However, when she came downstairs, Cathlyn, who had been sweeping the corridors, looked at her with a stare that could only be described as sorrowful.

Cathlyn took Anna over to her own room, a small section of the first floor of the building, to which she saw Robin laying on the young woman's bed, a look of anguish on his face.

"He's been like this since last night. He just...broke down. I'm not sure what happened."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?!" Anna shouted, changing Cathlyn's demeanor from sympathetic to annoyed.

"Because _you_ have a job to do. You needed the rest. Once my dad wakes up, he'll help me take care of him." Finally shaking her eyes away from Robin, Cathlyn's gaze took to Anna. "You're going to the lower district today, right? There's a potion shop down there. The owner's methods are strange, but she can both be an asset to us, and help us figure out what's wrong with Robin."

Anna was surprised by the amount of consideration Cathlyn showed for Robin. She felt her hostility towards the hostess drop just a bit. Now, she was standing in the middle of the lower district, seeking out anyone who could tell her where to find this potion shop...

The lower district's homes were small and shabby. There also did not seem to be many of them. The sense of community and feeling of fervor that seemed to absorb you was nowhere to be found.

Anna patrolled the streets with feverish steps. The silence that paraded them intimidated her, and she wished to be out of them as quickly as possible.

"H-hey..Are you an Anna?"

Anna shrieked at the shaking voice that appeared from nowhere. She turned towards the sound, which lead to the sight of a man in an alleyway. He was clothed in a torn shirt and equally damaged pants. He was clearly starving, she could tell. The shirt was much larger than he was, and his arms were thin and boney. The young merchant was both piteous and fearful, her body stunned into stillness.

"Anna's are rich, right? You've got some cash? Please, I'm starving, everything was taken from me..I..I-!" Tears formed in his eyes, and Anna, despite her better judgement, ran to his side.

"Hey, don't cry! What happened? I thought the exalt provided for you."

"The Exalt..?" His face, strained with tears, went red with anger. "She's just another selfish noble! She sends food down to us through the city's soldiers, but they only give us a fraction of what they bring! And they don't care about the lower district. Every day, people fight each other for their portions, but no one comes to stop it..."

The stranger grabbed hold of Anna's arm, causing her to jolt back, but his grip was surprisingly strong.

"You understand, right? Please, I know Annas have a lot of influence! Help me get out of this hell!"

"I...I..."

"I can't take this anymore! I need...I need..." The man's movements suddenly slowed, and he slumped, releasing his grip on Anna. Anna, still unable to cope with what she had just witnessed, did not notice the faint aroma that scented the air as she also fell into slumber.

A robed figure walked before the sleeping forms of the two, and picked Anna slowly from the ground.

* * *

Robin felt like he'd just stepped into hell.

He didn't know where he was, but it was dark, ominous, and surrounded by a purple haze.

"Robin. Are you okay?"

He turned to the sound of the voice calling, his eyes locking onto a young blue-haired man carrying a regal-looking blade. Robin's body shivered at the sight of it. As he clenched his own hand, he noticed the silver sword that lay in it. In the other was a tome that showed the symbol of a lightning bolt.

"Yeah, I'm fine Chrom."

Chrom? He didn't know a Chrom. But the name was this man's alone, he knew.

"Where are we?" Robin asked, hoping Chrom could give him a clear answer. Chrom instead shot him an incredulous look.

"Robin, I appreciate the attempt, but now's not the time for humor."

"Right..."

They moved forward, Chrom leading the charge. Robin had no idea what they were rushing toward, but that was the least of his wonders. He was more curious of his sudden skill with the sword. He knew how to fight, he could tell. His hands were poised in a perfect position to use both magic and sword, but he knew not when he learned this. It was just like the first time he'd read the magic tomes. The contents were nothing he'd ever seen before, but he'd already knew what each one was going to tell. He knew the effect of every spell, but had not the strength or practice to use them.

But now, he felt differently. His body was stronger, his mind as well. He flicked his tome open as they moved toward the center of the purple cloud, electricity coursing through his hand.

"_**Thoron!**_"

The bolt of lightning was more fierce and direct than anything he'd seen before. It zoomed past Chrom, the young lord more than a little surprised at the sudden blast, and collided with the cloud. It dispersed, revealing a cloaked man who screamed villain. He appeared unscathed by Robin's attack.

Chrom, now having a clear view of his enemy, sped in his approach. His blade skidded against the ground before he threw a clean horizontal slash at his opponent. The cloacked mage vanished as the blade scrapped against his clothing. He appeared above Chrom, immediately countering with a dark blast of his own.

The radius of the attack was too large for Chrom to escape, but Robin rushed in and tackled the lord out of the blast range. The full wrath of the dark mage's attack descended upon Robin, and the amnesiac saw his life flash before his eyes.

"_Robin!_" Chrom roared in fear, seeing the dark aura envelop his best friend. Within that aura, a flash of light shined. Chrom shielded his eyes as the world around him went white.

* * *

Cathlyn had been by Robin's side the entire day.

Even after Garren had arrived, her father had not been of much aid. A wet towel and a comfortable place to rest was all that could be supplied in this case, as they could not determine what exactly was wrong with him.

His breathing was rough, he was sweating, and he seemed to be half-conscious, as every now and again he'd groan or clench his hands tightly. And yet, he was not sick. He didn't have an abnormal temperature or any real symptoms of sickness. It seemed more like he was in one long nightmare...

She didn't really understand why she cared so much. She barely knew the guy. They'd talked once, and it was about how suspicious he was.

But in that one talk, he'd seemed so purehearted and peaceful. Someone she could trust. And he was the only Plegian she knew she was going to find for miles within the Ylissean border. Even if he didn't know anything about the culture, it was better than talking to a lying Ylissean. They tried to hide their glares with smiles, but she knew the truth.

Her pale complexion and sharp, dark eyes were dead ringers for her ancestry, as the Ylisseans have pure, white skin and bright, shining orbs. They detested her kind, and as such, wished to take it out on her. It was her father, a pure Ylissean like them, that protected her in public.

She couldn't make friends. The kids mimicked their parents, and the parents saw potential revenge. With Ylisse once again on the brink of war, it was hard for her to even go outside without getting disgusted gazes.

Robin was her freedom from all that. A kin, another Plegian to share that grief with. He was the only one that could understand her.

And that was why she needed him to wake.

* * *

_Notes: ...So, I'm at one month again. Sorry about that, but life kind of likes to take away your will to write at times. As such, this chapter is a little on the shorter side. However, I still really like how this one came out.  
_

_Thanks for reading, and hopefully I can beat my update time next round!_


	8. Chapter 7: Shrouded Past

**Chapter 7: Shrouded Past**

Anna woke to the scent of candles. Strong, heavy scents that didn't do any favors to the nose. In fact, it only served to hinder her breathing.

Coughing lightly, she lifted herself up from her place on the ground. She noticed that she'd been placed on the floor of wherever she was, and her captor had taken the time to give her a blanket and pillow.

"Are you awake? Here, take my hand."

Almost as if she appeared out of the shadows, a hooded woman held one arm out to Anna, which she hesistantly took. Pulled up, she dusted herself off, before staring into the new face.

Or at least, she was trying to. The woman's cloak covered her rather well, the hood draping over her eyes and in the dark, Anna could only see the faint shades of a nose and lips. Even her skin tone was cloaked by the shadows.

"I'm sorry I knocked you unconscious." She said, unexpectedly pulling her hood down. Now the young merchant could see the blond hair haphazardly cut short, uneven on most sides and the bruises and cuts on the woman's face. Despite these faults, the woman smiled brightly at her.

"I'm Leila. You are?"

"...Anna." She said sheepishly, unsure of whether to trust the strange woman. Yet with the woman's eyes beaming at her, she could do nothing but feel embarrassed.

"Hmm...Just like all the others. It must get confusing."

"We have our ways."

"Oh, I'm sure! Family secrets and all that." She stood still with a delighted smile on her face, but as silence prolonged she jumped in surprise.

"Oh! You want to know why you're here, right? I'm so sorry! Here, take this!" Rapidly rummaging through one of the many bottles she had scattered across the small room, she passed Anna one containing a dark green liquid. The look of it worried her, but the smell was a very strong sweetness, almost like mint.

"Please, drink some of it. You must be tired. It'll get rid of the fatigue."

Anna was immensely skeptical of the mysterious woman and her concoctions, but the creator of the strange liquid had such a sincere and hopeful expression upon her face that Anna couldn't refuse her.

She took one small sip of the drink. As it touched her lips, it tasted just as it smelled, but it also burned against her tongue.

Anna tossed down the drink, much to the dismay of Leila, causing it to spill across the floor. Anna paced slowly away from Leila, attempting to find the way out, but Leila did not look dettered by her action. Her smile was still clear on her face.

"Please, before you go. Look at your arm."

Anna shook her glare from Leila to look at both of her arms. On her left, she'd noticed a shade of red that signified a bruise she'd gotten when attacked earlier that day. Taking notice of it again, she expected the pain to spring back instantly, but she felt nothing. Her arm was relaxed.

Anna slid her hand across the bruised arm gently and felt no pain. It had disappeared, almost as swiftly as with magic.

"It was a healing medicine. Made from a mixture of plants that can only be found in Cho'sin. I grow them here."

Anna's fears melted away at the sight of her injury healed. For the first time since she woke, she smiled at Leila, making her brim with delight.

"Why did you do this? Bring me here, I mean."

"Oh, that terrible man was attacking you! I couldn't just let it happen! I'm not good at fighting though, so I had to use one of my potions." She grabbed a pink vial from the same case she'd grabbed the green one earlier, raising it high into the air.

"This is my sleep potion. The smell itself is enough to put someone to slumber. Sooo, I threw it at him! I missed though. It broke next to you instead. Sorry about that."

"It's fine. Thanks for the save." Anna said, now understanding the woman's motive. And it was a good thing too, as it was obvious that this eccentric elixir mixer was none other than the potion shop owner she was sent to find.

"Leila..." Anna lingered on the name, trying to find a good transition into her request. "How's business?"

"How did you know I had a business?" Before Anna could explain, Leila drew her own conclusions. "Ah! You've heard of me, yes? Of course, an Anna would obviously know of even the smallest of businesses! You must be wishing to sample my wares, correct?"

"Err...Yes! That's it. I wished to see the effects of your finest healing medicine, and lady, you've got some of the best I've seen!" Anna turned on the charm as best as she could, planning to turn this conversation in her favor.

Leila giggled and hopped in delight, almost child-like, unbeffiting of her tall stature. Anna smirked, knowing that this next move would make even her sisters proud.

"Y'know, I've had plenty of other competitors for a spot as my top apothecary, and they've all failed the test I've given them. Do you think you can handle it?"

Leila nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes! My potions can do anything! Heal, poison, anger, sleep, you name it!"

"That's...great!" Anna, though a bit fearful of the woman's creations, it was good that she had variety. With such supposed skill, it was a wonder she was in the lower district in the first place. "The job is simple. You're coming with me to the middle district, and you're going to make a potion that brings a sickly man back to full strength! If you can't do that, you don't have a chance with us."

"Then let's go!"

And with surprising strength, she grasped Anna by the hand and pulled her out of the darkness. From the outside of the small and cumbersome room, Anna saw just what the little home really was.

A worn down, broken building. It was made from wood, but the material was charred and blackened. It looked like it could be blown over by a strong wind. It was by far one of the worst she'd seen upon entering the district. What was once maybe a cottage was nearly a pile of rubble.

"...And she calls this home..." Anna mumbled to herself. When she refused to budge, Leila gave her an inquisitive gaze, before having a sudden realization.

"Ah! I forgot all of my tools inside! I'm so sorry, p-please don't dock me any points! I'll be right back!"

Anna watched as Leila ran back into her house, curious as to what could cause such devastation. She would have to ask Garren when she returned.

* * *

"He's still out cold, huh?"

Garren stood watching over Cathlyn as she sat beside Robin's bed. His breathing had finally slowed, but he still looked pained. That pained expression was enough to keep Cathlyn glued to her spot.

"Look, honey. I think it's time you got some rest of your own. You'll end up like him if you don't."

"If that's what it takes."

Garren groaned at her obstinate nature, but he knew his daughter wasn't one to give up on a goal. However, this goal in particular left him more than a little curious.

"What do you see in him, Cath? You've never showed any interest in boys before." His tone was more teasing than serious, but Cathlyn didn't seem to care either way. Her eyes didn't shake from the man in front of her.

Garren took a close look at Robin, searching for just what it was that Cathlyn saw in him. At first glance, he seemed like an average villager. But upon further thought, he realized that Robin's skin was more faded than the others. His sandy hair leaned more on the side of white than blond like that of most Ylisseans. It was much more like that of a..

"Cath, this isn't about your mother, is it?"

The moment those words came out of his mouth, he knew that he'd made a mistake. Cathlyn hadn't moved, but her posture went from focused to unnerved. She was itching to react.

"I know that what happened to her was unforgivable, but you can't just keep locking yourself away from society because of it. And now you want to keep this one-!"

"Shut up! You don't get it!" Her voice coarse and strained, Garren lost his will to argue. But Cathlyn was far from finished.

"I...I don't have anyone else. I can't trust anyone. They all have some sort of secret life, like you and Mom did...but Robin..He's blank. He doesn't remember anything, and doesn't have any reason to lie or hurt anyone. I won't let the only person who I can trust die on me!"

"Cath...What if he started to remember? What would you do?"

Her silence spoke volumes to her father. The desperation of his daughter brought tears to his eyes, and he wrapped his arms around her in a delicate hug. Cathlyn responded coldly, only asking him to leave in a polite but distant tone. Garren stood out in the hall, hands cupping his face.

"Eleanor...What do I do now?"

* * *

_Notes: Okay so...It's been awhile. And it's all thanks to this little thing called college. That, and I lost my laptop charger, meaning that for a period of time, I did not have the ability to use my laptop. Don't worry, I'm still writing, it's just going to take longer than usual. Once I have a significant break, I'll put a good amount of time into this in order to finish the first arc. _

_If you're worried about this story dying, don't. I have steeled myself to complete it. It may take a long time, but it will be done. I have too much fun making this story to quit. As always, thanks for reading, and thanks for your patience as well. _


	9. Chapter 8: Hopes & Dreams

**Chapter 8: Hopes &amp; Dreams**

The trip back to the middle district went just as smoothly as Anna had expected. And by smoothly, she meant distressingly painful.

Leila's supplies were contained in one large bag, but this bag was heavier than the pairs of weapons, books, and containers that she kept standard on her travels. She had to wonder what it was that she did to make her concoctions that involved such tools.

"Leila, do you always travel this light?" Anna asked, obviously unhappy with their position, but as she held one side of the large sack and Leila held the other, the herbalist just hummed a tune to herself and ignored the sarcastic comment.

After a painful march up the road to Garren's home and the pitying looks and laughter of the population of Ylisstol, the duo finally arrived. Leila dropped the sack upon their arrival, leaving the weight to fall on Anna as she wondrously gazed around the room.

"It's so spacious here! I could have three, no four of my shops in this place! Oooooh, where do I start?!"

"You...can start..." Anna heaved as she lifted the strangely heavy package off of her chest. "..By doing your job. Here, follow me."

Turning from the main hall to the west corridor, they quickly came upon the open door to Cathlyn's room. Leila's eyes darted around the small space, until they caught sight of the young man whose face was stained red. To Anna's surprise, Leila darted to his side, already beginning to search for what plagued him.

Cathlyn, whom had been sitting at her desk quietly until the two arrived, jumped with a mild shriek at the sound of Leila marching through her room. Anna stifled a laugh, but the daggers shot at the young merchant showed that it was noticed all the same.

"Who is this?" Cathlyn asked, her attention now directed at the older woman pressing her head to Robin's chest.

"This is Leila, the potion shop owner you sent me to find. She's...a little weird."

"Wow. Didn't expect her to be real. I'd only ever heard rumors." Anna's head snapped to Cathlyn, her anger building at these words.

"You…You didn't think she was real? Then why did you send me down there?!" Cathlyn waved her hands to calm Anna down, but there was no real effort in the gesture.

"Well, it was either find her, or spend money on a cleric who does nothing but praise Naga in front of us for an hour." She gave a shrug. "Could've been worse."

Anna didn't buy into her act. She felt that Cathlyn had every intention to send Anna to the lower district knowing the dangers. If Leila had really been a myth amongst people of the middle district, she might not have escaped unscathed. Her gratitude for Leila only increased with this thought, but her ire for Garren's daughter did as well.

Before Anna could come up with another retort, Leila shot up from Robin's bedside, and spun on her heel to face the two girls. Her typical smile was still there, but it was much more subdued. It was clear that she was nervous, though over Robin or her ability to win Anna's favor, she was unsure.

"A fire source, please!" She exclaimed, to which Cathlyn responded by handing over the candle in the room. Leila keep it at the edge of the desk before rushing back out into the main hall. When she returned, she held in one hand a vial containing a pink liquid and in the other some form of stand to hold the vial in.

She positioned the stand over the candle flame before inserting the vial. The stand hung the vial just high enough to avoid touching the fire, but the flames licked the very edge of the container. Leila leaned at the edge of the desk, scanning over the contents of the small bottle intensely.

Both Anna and Cathlyn were unsure of what to make of it all, but the sounds of Robin groaning and rolling in his slumber were enough to bring them out of their confusion. Before either could make a sound, Leila held her hand out as to stop the two, only stopping to remove the vial from its stand, its contents now bubbling within.

"Both of you, please cover your noses."

"Huh? What are you-!" The question was cut short when Leila popped open the vial, releasing a devastatingly strong scent throughout the room. Anna immediately recognized it as the scent that she had taken in before fainting earlier in the day and forcibly covered Cathlyn's mouth and nose while holding her own breath. Cathlyn shouted muffled arguments, but Anna refused to let go. While they fought, Leila poured the contents of the vial into Robin's mouth, the bubbling substance steaming as it touched his tongue.

As the concoction slid down Robin's throat, the groans suddenly changed into screams of agony, and for a moment, both watching girls shot harmful intent towards the newcomer, but in another, Robin calmed down, his face changed from the long-held grimace to one of deep sleep.

Leila capped the empty vial shut before waving the girls out of the room, following suit shortly after. As she exited, Leila's smile grew back tenfold.

"He should be much better by tomorrow. Or maybe in two to three days. He won't be waking up for awhile…" Leila nervously tugged on her short hair, but the smile was still bright and shining, clearly proud of her success.

The pair put aside their problems with one another to focus back on the problem at hand. Cathlyn was the first to ask. "What exactly did you do to him?"

"Oh, sorry for keeping you uninformed! It's simple. I put him to sleep with large dose of sleeping potion!" She raised the empty vial in the air for added effect, seemingly unaware that she had used it all up moments ago. "It relaxes the body, and the more used, the higher chance of slumber. And warming it makes it taste less like pegasus shavings." The girls both shivered as they imagined the fur of the winged beast on their tongues. "You see, your friend wasn't sick. He was having a nightmare. A really bad one."

"Then why was he crying out in his sleep? Doesn't pain in nightmares usually wake someone up?" Anna asked, in disbelief of the simple diagnosis. Leila was eager to explain.

"In most cases, that's true. A jolt in a dream would be enough to wake someone. It's rare that a person is screaming through their dreams. Overall, it seems that he simply hasn't woken up from the nightmare. My potion will keep him from thrashing about, but it can't stop his dreams. He could end up like this again."

There was a moment of silence as they came to accept that this solution may not be permanent, but it was broken by Leila's enthusiasm.

"Sooooo, do I get the job?"

Cathlyn and Anna once again locked eyes, this time Cathlyn clearly dominating as Anna sought to avoid further contact. Despite the lack of notice for either party of the household, Anna felt indebted to Leila. The woman had come up from her own home and solved their problems in a flash, and all she wanted was work. Not to mention her original home being a decrepit old shack that isn't fit for anyone to live in. Deciding to work out the details later, Anna gave Cathlyn a begrudging look of apology before giving her answer.

"…Yes. You passed the test with flying colors!" She tried her best to share in Leila's enthusiasm, but the delivery was forced.

Cathlyn clearly had objections, but she held them in. Anna knew that she felt just as indebted to Leila as she had, and neither of them were going to crush the eccentric alchemist's dreams.

As Leila pulled them both into an inescapable hug, the two shared a single thought.

_Just what have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

The clouds cleared, and the hooded mage was nowhere to be found.

Chrom's heart pounded as he saw the enemy sneering down at him from high above, where his sword could not reach him. As he charged another blast of dark energy, Chrom felt the first inklings of defeat rise within him.

However, when a powerful wind enveloped the evil mage, those feelings receded immediately. Even higher, touching the very top of the ceiling was Robin, using wind magic to keep as high in the air as possible. Unable to keep both himself and Validar in air with his power, he dived for Validar, charging a bolt of lightning in his hand whilst the sorcerer was held captive.

The wind dissipated, and though the dark mage had time to conjure his own magic to block Robin's attack, he was incapable of anticipating Chrom's. Before he could realize, the Falchion was arcing towards him. Validar attempted to use his other hand to prevent Chrom's assault, but Robin pressured him into focusing all of his energy on one target. In one fluid motion, Chrom leapt for the sword he had thrown, caught it mid-spin and tore through Validar with a hacking slash. All three combatants fell to the ground, Robin and Chrom groaning at the long drop, but they would not lose focus. They gazed over to the bleeding mage, his body fading from reality.

The battle was won. Validar was no more.

* * *

_Notes: So uh, it's been a full year. What happened to my enthusiasm to write, you may ask? Well, at some point, it died. Overloaded with a whole lot of new elements in my life, I didn't exactly ever want to work on the story. It was only very recently where the fire came back, and I was able to continue with the same feelings that I came into this story with. _

_I can't promise that I'll be working faster from now on, but I can say that at the moment, my passion for the story has been refueled. If you guys are willing to put up with how long it takes for me to update, I can earnestly say that I will get this done. It's just going to take a while. _

_Thanks for reading, as always. It's good to be back._


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